Our Pree NYC Party
When we launched Pree, we honestly couldn’t think of a better way to share the news and celebrate than to gather some of our favorite women in food (& Pree Founding Members!) in NYC.
The vision was a cozy fall tea party full of our favorite women-made products & produce from New York. We were blessed with a spread including: Locust Grove Farm concord grapes and fuji apples; The River Garden’s starflowers, burgundy amaranth fronds & dahlias in every autumn color; Willow Wisp treviso & Hawthorne Valley radicchio, gluten free sourdough (made from regional grains!) olive bread from Knead Love Bakery; the best bean to bar chocolate from Ghana in milk, white matcha and dark from Zacao; and three delectable *certified radiant* cakes from Keayk: Banana lavender cupcakes with cacao center, Earl grey-glazed carrot doughnuts and Antioxidant cacao squash cubes with fresh fig jam. YUM CITY!
Last but not least, not only did we (Atara & Ariel) host the whole afternoon, but we also designed the whole table and made our bejeweled “cheese course in a cups”, vintage gildas and sage-adorned french butter!
Here are our top tips for creating a gorgeous spread:
Create a Pinterest board that captures the vibe and inspo for the event
See what amazing platters, linens, accessories you/your mom/your best friend have before sourcing at a local thrift shop, boutique or… Amazon
Reach out to your friends who are makers to see if they want to contribute something beautiful / delicious to the gathering
See the table like a blank canvas and each dish or item like a part of the collage. Play with height, scale, color, and negative space. A pile of concord grapes can be as beautiful as a floral arrangement. A little dish of olives might be just the thing to balance an elaborate cake.
Source locally and seasonally as much as possible – though the farmers market can be pricey, there’s nothing like the life-force energy of fruit, veg and florals from hands and land in your community. And a little goes a long way. Even a few bunches of herbs, a basket of beautiful fruit, or flowers grown nearby can bring an incredible sense of place to the table. Ask growers what’s especially good right now, and let those ingredients inspire both the menu and the decor.
Not everything needs to be practical or economical. Choose one or two ingredients that feel a little extravagant, unusual, or downright delightful. Maybe it’s a flower-shaped cheese made by French monks, an especially beautiful honeycomb, or a fruit you’ve never tried before.
A generous slab of good butter is practically begging to be dressed up. Spread it onto a beautiful plate and scatter with flaky salt, fresh herbs, edible flowers, citrus zest, or whatever else suits the menu. It’s one of the easiest ways to make something utterly ordinary feel festive. Plus, everyone loves butter.
RECIPE FOR OUR “CHEESE COURSE IN A CUP”
Marinated goat cheese: We love Meredith Dairy, but any savory, herb-marinated goat cheese will do.
Local Honeycomb
Apples: Choose a variety you love, preferably something crisp and tart. Swap in seasonal stone fruit when available.
Caramelized pecans: Or your favorite candied nut for a little crunch.
Borage flowers: Or any edible flowers for a pretty finishing touch.
To assemble:
Spoon a little goat cheese into each cup, followed by thinly sliced fruit, a small piece of honeycomb, and a scattering of caramelized walnuts. Finish with a few edible flowers and, if you like, a drizzle of the herby oil from the cheese. Serve with a mini spoon or your favorite cracker!
Become a Founding Member of Pree
As a Founding Member, you’ll receive invites to our next city gatherings in New York, DC / Baltimore, Los Angeles and beyond! Plus get featured in our newsletter to 23k subscribers all over the world.
Without further ado, celebrating our Founding Member Aria McLauchlan!
Aria McLauchlan is the co-founder and executive Director of Land Core, a non-profit dedicated to advancing soil health policies and programs that create value for farmers, businesses and communities. Aria has long recognized that healthy soil is at the very foundation of more resilient food and agricultural systems. Whether through a shared meal at her kitchen table in Grass Valley, CA, or through a new policy change in Washington, D.C., she is passionate about engaging people in the systems that shape how our food is produced.
Founding Members receive:
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The joy of knowing you supported our community-supported media from day one
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Full access to every newsletter and issue of The Pantry
An exclusive community chat on Substack
The ability to comment on posts
The joy of knowing you supported our community-supported media from day one
Confirming that the cheese plate in a cup was sooooooo good that I ate two :)